Role Models
Published: 12th March 2008
Author: Words and photo by Jonty Edmunds
They’re both off-road gods and the very best at what they do but David Knight and Travis Pastrana share more than just supreme two-wheeled skills…
“Come on Knighter you big sissy, let’s get it on…” It’s not every day a rider publicly calls David Knight a big sissy. Standing well over six feet tall and with a physique that’s more international rugby player than international six days enduro, Knight is a strapping lad. He’s also the world’s best extreme enduro rider and as such has earned himself a reputation as being as tough as they come out on the race track. So who’d dare to call Knight a sissy?
It may not surprise you to learn that the rider who called DK ‘a big sissy’ at the opening round of the US GNCC series wasn’t any of his XC1 Pro class rivals, nor a disgruntled lapper that had been made to eat dirt after Knight had ‘moved him aside’ on his way past. No, it was FMX legend Travis Pastrana – yep, the one and only Travis Pastrana.
Just under one hour into the opening round of the US GNCC series, having re-joined the race after stopping to re-fuel his #199 Suzuki, Travis Pastrana blazed past a stationary David Knight, turned his head to the right and at the top of his voice threw down the gauntlet to his friend. He knew it wouldn’t be long before his time as race leader would be up but in true Pastrana style he couldn’t help himself…
A few days before the race Pastrana, walking through the paddock minding his own business while eating a small tub of ice cream, stopped by the KTM semi to say hi to his Erzberg buddy Knight. Within minutes the pair were tearing strips off one another as TP tried to wind Knight up before their first confrontation in almost two years.
“You’ve got no chance of beating me,” stated Knight, reminding Travis that on every other occasion the two had competed against one another he’d been the one to come out on top. “Yeah but I drive rally cars for a living now, if you don’t beat me you’ll never be able to live it down.” And so it went on. Dig after dig, light-hearted put-down after light-hearted put-down.
As two of the biggest names in off-road motorcycle racing, Pastrana and Knight are more alike than many realise. Born in completely different parts of the world, from completely different upbringings and specialists in very different styles of motorcycle racing, both are exceptionally talented, popular and as well as both being huge fans of car rallying are just about as good as sporting role models come.
It’s their personalities - the way in which they’ll make time to speak to almost anyone, are always smiling and approachable and never seemingly too serious about what they’re doing - that unites them. Single-minded in their approach to being the best they can be, what you see is not sportsmen so highly strung that they can’t find time for others, instead they’re two ‘normal’ folk that are well aware that others take as much pleasure from watching them compete and win as they do from competing and winning themselves.
The opening round of the US GNCC series is arguably the biggest race of the year for Knighter. The one GNCC event that attracts more media coverage than any other, it’s also there that all riders find out if their months of winter training have been to good effect. For Pastrana, the now part-time ‘just for fun’ motorcycle racer, a good result wouldn’t change much but the way both riders approached the race was incredibly similar – positively, optimistically, seriously and with a smile on their faces.
One thing that both Pastrana and Knight aren’t is what is commonly referred to in this industry as ‘rock stars’ – riders that think they’re a level above all others and act as if they ought to be treated better than royalty.
What was refreshing about Knight and Pastrana’s friendly rivalry at The Triton GNCC was that it proved that no matter how popular/successful/well paid you are, you don’t have to have an attitude. You can be every bit as focused about winning, work harder than any other rider and believe in yourself 100 per cent but as both DK and TP showed you can still enjoy what you do and have some fun. The world of off-road motorcycle racing needs more riders like Knighter and Pastrana…